For once, our 'stranded asset' has aided us in allowing 85% of sweet Raf gas to be used in whatever the most lucrative option available is.

Chris Ellison lashes manufacturing giants over onshore gas lobbying

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BlackBerry Secure Communications Vice-President David Wiseman says it’s important consumers use “common…

Mineral Resources’s Mt Marion lithium mine. Picture: Supplied

• ByNICK EVANS

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• 5:13PM AUGUST 29, 2023
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Mineral Resources boss Chris Ellison has warned the WA state government it risks losing billions in investment in onshore natural gas developments unless it allows mid-sized companies to export gas from the state.

Speaking after delivering MinRes’ annual financial accounts this week, Mr Ellison told reporters and analysts a WA government ban on the export of gas found onshore in the state would severely limit the extent of MinRes’ own gas plans, potentially denying WA gas users the benefit of a bigger development at the company’s discoveries.

Successive WA governments have held to a policy of requiring 15 per cent of any offshore gas processed at facilities in the state be reserved for the domestic market, and restricted the access to export infrastructure for onshore discoveries.

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The only significant exception to the latter rule was the decision of former WA Premier Mark McGowan to allow exports from the Waitsia project, jointly owned by Kerry Stokes-backed Beach Energy and Japan’s Mitsui, of up to half of the project’s total production.

This month, the state government quietly announced it would no longer consider applications for exemption on a ban on using existing WA gas pipelines to carry natural gas to LNG export terminals – including those running through the Perth basin, where MinRes is an active gas explorer.

At the same time, the state’s parliament is running an inquiry into domestic gas use policy, helping spark further dispute between gas users and producers – and even dissent in the ranks of gas producers.